User Reviews

Overall Rating:

Value Rating:

Submitted by
dodgealum
a Audio Enthusiast

Date Reviewed: June 4, 2004

Bottom Line:

I've owned the Townshend Rock MkIII for around six years now and have been delighted with it's performance. Previously, I had owned a Linn LP12. While the Linn is a good table I had the opportunity to compare it with the Rock head to head with nearly the same arm and cartridge. There simply was no comparison. The Linn did not have the relaxed and controlled presentation of the Rock and there was a much more forward and hard sound, particularly voices and strings. The Linn seemed to "shout" by comparison. So I bought the Rock.
The Rock is a very well made and engineered product. The isolation provided by the air bladder (essentially a built in seismic sink) is substantial and the fluid trough is a brillian means of reducing arm resonances and enhancing the performance of any tonearm. In fact, one of the benefits of the Rock is that it seems to turn good arms into great arms--so you can save some money and throw it at the cartridge.
I've heard many other tables since then but the Rock remains. I agree with one of the other reviews--some of the high end tables currently out there lack musicality and tonal accuracy. The Rock does both VERY well. Though difficult to find on the used market, this is a table worth waiting for. Parts and service are still available through Townshend in the UK and they are great people to work with should you need anything (I recently bought a new belt for mine and they shipped it right out). Those interested in hearing more should check out Robert E. Greene's review in TAS some years back. For all I know the Rock still may be his reference table.

I've had the Townshend Rock MkIII for 3 years. In comparison to the other turntables I've, Linn and VPI, it provides better sound. It's particular advantages are in the bass and its ability to track so well that there is no "wow" effect on even severly warped LPs. It's a delight to use, very simple and well designed. The bass clarity is clearly a result of keeping the unit inflated with the built in hand pump. Once the pressure declines over the course of several weeks the bass clarity declines to "normal" levels.

There aren't too many turntables that are not only accurate and detailed but musical,the Townshend MkIII is one of them and personally I believe the design is done RIGHT,the only thing I wish it had a heavy metal platter w/felt mat as in the Linn Sondek LP12. The two of these though very different in sound both get to the MUSIC in a non Hi-Fi-ish way MUSICAL! The other acrylic platter turntables I have heard have a definite PLASTIC mechanical sound to them,and many of these are getting rave reviews?? Check them out,you'll see what I'm talking about. P.S. The latest GRADO cartridges are the best thing I have heard at any price.